June 2
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
June 2, 1997
Good day. Got my home-made yearbook filled up! I attacked Chris (hugged) because he said Erica was stuck-up. :) Went home with Ashley. Spilled Kool-Aid everywhere, danced in the rain, acted crazy, watched story, ate, and slept. Mom picked me up at 5:30. Got pita from Wendy’s. Eew. Went to Manhattan Bagel, but closed. Want job application. Came home. T.V. and notes for exams…
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
June 2, 1996
Went to church. Ate at Olive Garden. Went to mall, got shoes. Had try-outs for state. Ate. Went to Goodberries. Cut hair.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
June 2, 1960
Beautiful and warm. Using new vac. works fine, getting things straightened some. Wrote to Mary then her letter came. Had 10 ’phone calls, a broken cable or something. Got tired of answering that all wrong number. Went to Elgin in eve. Uncle W in nursing home.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
June 2, 1944
We awoke about 12:30, slept out (!), and got up. Mother greeted us with open arms and we sat down to a hearty breakfast. Then we talked for over an hour. Mum told us about the awful time the senior class at school had this year — talk about democracy! Some of the poor kids just about had nervous breakdowns. We did the dishes and unpacked our bags. While we were doing the dishes, Clure came over to say “Hello.” We washed our hair and some clothes. Pop had finally gotten my trunk — after the big mix-up about the baggage checks! I took a bath before supper. Just before supper Mary phoned to tell Mother she had a phone — she didn’t know I was home. Betty and I talked to her. She sounded tired. While I was talking, George came over and I found him talking to Mum and Betty in the living room. We joked and had fun. Betty and I both had our hair up! We ate about 5:30. Pop came home. Had real good dinner. Then we sat out on the porch a few minutes and then went for a drive up by the Hardings’ and looked down on the metropolis of Harriman. Back about 8. Sat out and talked some more — about the narrow-minded Baptists in town for one thing. Then dishes and to bed fairly early. Pop has a trip planned tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday. There’s so much to look forward to!
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
June 2, 1941
Clear when I got up at 7:30. Lovely morning but with no hint of rain. At 9:00 I walked down to the Christian Church for recital rehearsal. We all stayed in the back room until our turn came. Then we walked out on the pulpit platform below the choir loft and played our piece. We did it in the order that we will tonight -- I was last as usual. While awaiting our turns Margaret, Roberta, Ruth and I teased and had fun. I asked them to go on our hike Wednesday. Rufus can’t, but M. and R. are going to ask their mother. We were through about 10:00 and Mrs. Hudson drove Jean, Dorothy, and I home. It was quite cloudy by then and really looked like rain.
I washed the dishes and was just preparing to write in you, Diary, when the wind started blowing and thunder rolled in the distance. We heard the patter of huge raindrops and rushed around closing windows. I heard Mr. Jones call over to Helen that she’d better get in, he thought we were in for a rain. Then Helen let out a joyous yowl and in a moment George did the same. Then I danced around, screaming at the top of my lungs and Mother not even objecting. Soon the rain came in torrents and the green trees swayed gloriously in the wind. With the front door open, I sat down and played the piano. Soon, however, the door had to be closed and the lightning and thunder got quite near. Once I was sure the middle of the street had been struck. As a means of diversion I helped Mom make some muffins. Finally storm subsided but the blessed rain continued. By noon, though, it had stopped, too, but Daddy said it looked as if we’d get more.
Had delicious dinner and was in wonderful mood. Before we were through the sun had come out and all the wet green things sparkled gaily. Daddy said the rain had done a lot of good but we needed still more. After the dishes Mother persuaded me to take a nap and I did. Up about 3:00 and it was cloudy again. I sat out on the porch and wrote in my diary. In a few minutes Mrs. Rodgers came to call and she and Mom sat on the porch and visited. I couldn’t concentrate so I closed up shop and went up to Helen’s. She, Barbey, and I sat in the swing and while we swang (or swung?) we sang. It sprinkled a bit but didn’t last long. Little Hughie was in his pen in the Jones’s back yard and the other kiddos stared with big eyes and open mouths (slightly exaggerated) as we sang. Just after we had rendered, “O My Darling Clementine,” Mr. Jones came around the side of the house singing, “Oh my darling, O my darling, O my darling Hughie boy. You’re in your pen and you don’t like it, O my darling Hughie boy.” He then picked the darling up and said, “You’re a 49er, too, aren’t you?” It was so funny. I stayed till about 5:00, after Mrs. Rodgers left. Then I went home and took a bath. Still cloudy.
Ate too much for supper and as a result made a mess of my piece in the final practice. Dressed and George came over with his camera, threatening to take my picture at the recital. At 7:30 I went up for Helen but she wasn’t quite ready. Her new watch (a Waltham) had just come -- so pretty. We finally left. The night air smelled so fresh and I wasn’t a bit scared. We met Mrs. Moore about halfway down and walked with her. I left them with their fingers crossed at the front entrance while I went around to the side. All the girls were seated in the back room and looking more uncomfortable than expected. Marshy, of course, hovered near.
Promptly at 8:00 it started. There were 18 members in all, including a violin solo by Mrs. Massey and a vocal solo by Mrs. Gilliland. During the latter, while Marshy was playing for her, I yielded to the urge and slipped outside to relieve myself. Just in the middle of “it,” a man came by the alley and I jumped up, pretending to be picking some leaves. It turned out to be a sticker bush and I cut one finger. Got back in just in time. As my turn approached I got just a bit nervous and began powdering my nose and fingers. Margaret got tickled. Everyone did pretty well, although some of them got mixed up and/or forgot.
Finally the awful moment arrived and I walked out on the platform and sat down. I didn’t dare look at the audience. I hanged through Rachmaninoff’s C# Minor Prelude and got a very good hand. I actually got the middle part better than the best I’ve ever practiced it.
After the prizes were awarded we all streamed out to be received by parents, friends and congratulations. Words failed some of them (Mrs. Cummins, for one) and they made a few expressive motions with their hands. Goody was there and she was carrying the handkie I had given her. When we got outside we were still not free and a number of people came up and, patting Helen on the back (she was standing with us), said how wonderfully we had played. We got so tickled. Little Dorcus Jane was there with her mother. Mom told me later that she had been getting restless when her mother whispered that I was to play next. She was immediately all attention and turning to the surrounding people in general she whispered, “That’s my Sunday School teacher” (wishful thinking) as much as to say, “Now listen carefully.” Mother said she never took her eyes off me. So cute!
Mom and Dad (who had gotten out of Legion meeting just in time to hear his daughter play) drove some of the others home, but Helen and I walked. Margaret loaned me, “Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho” and “Some Day My Prince Will Come.” Goody remarked that it was quite a comedown from Rachmaninoff. When we got home, I heard Mom and Daddy up at Marney’s talking with Carlyle who was ordained as a minister yesterday and who, with his wife, is visiting his parents for a few days. I went over by Helen’s rose bush to finish relieving myself and the wet roses smelled so good. We could see Mr. and Mrs. Jones through the windows and it made me feel so nice and comfortable inside. I waited for Mom and Dad. Mrs. McClure and George arrived home just then and congratulated me. I played over the piece and read the funnies.
So far June has been grand. This has been the best recital ever -- better than I had hoped it would be! I’m so glad! So much to look forward to and be thankful for!
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
June 2, 1926
To-day we had geom. from 9-11. It was a fierce paper, and I was in despair about it. I did 2½ out of 7 and only 1½ right! Well, it can’t be helped; I may make up for it in the other maths papers. There was Latin from 12-2. It was a 1915 Senior Hons. Intercert. paper. Catch Fr. Dinnie Murphy writing out a paper! We only got 2 hours for it and it was a 2½-hour paper. The composition was fairly easy, and the Cicero trans. at sight about women and politics was splendid! I wish some of the women politicians in Ireland would read it. The Horace and Ovid were stiff, however. I didn’t do badly on the whole, and am quite pleased. No exam. this evening, so I thought I’d go up to Markie for tennis. On arriving, found a whole crowd of ladies playing there, Markie among them, so I went off again. Went up again after tea, thinking they would be gone, but they were all there yet. But I plucked up courage, and went over. As a result I got a few good games of tennis and a fine feed of lemonade, jelly, fruit and cream afterwards. I wish I could get over my shyness and blushes, because it spoils all fun. When I came home I did some Addison for to-morrow’s exam.
*(Original Archive Copyright © Estate of Aloys Fleischmann. The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive by Róisín O’Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Used with permission.)
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
June 2, 1888
I took care of Una some this morning, as Kate has so much to do. Sprayed the plum trees over again, as it looked clear today, as if it might not rain for a while. Commenced spraying the apple trees also. Oliver Kimberly was buried today. A Jew peddler came along tonight, but he did not feel at home as ma was not here. He said he was here a year ago and saw her. For a wonder he was after anything to eat or a place to stay all night. I supped. Ma went to Omaha today, she wrote that they intended to.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
June 2, 1887
I got up this morning soon after 4 o’clock and began to clean out the bedroom and closet, so Kate would not have to do so much it would made her sick the first thing. I hitched Jimmie into Fred Neill’s buggy and went up town about 10 o’clock, but got no telegram from Kate, so it must be that she did not start yesterday. I came back, got my dinner, and finished tacking down the bedroom carpet then I went at the upstairs part and cleaned that making things look much better. I began on the woodshed tonight and will have that looking different tomorrow. I will go up to the office tomorrow forenoon to see if Kate is on her way. I hope she will come as I want them with me.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
June 2, 1871
We have a table now, Jake said we should have the one up at the N house. I believe he made it. He was down for dinner, and took J. R. back with him.
Supper is ready. I was to the garden. It is so far away, and someplaces I wade through grass almost up to my shoulders.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
June 2, 1863
I am not so well today but took some pills before dinner & my head feels better. Willie still wheezes a good deal. I made Rose two aprons & a chemise today. I have done very well to be taking pills. Nothing new going on. Wiley Jones left here some three or four weeks ago. Rumor says he has gone to the yanks or tories in East Tenn. He left his family. He is a conscript that comes under 40.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
June 2, 1862
I have done nothing of importance today. I mended some old dresses. It is very warm today. Mail brought no news. They have had a fight near Richmond. Terrible slaughter on both sides.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 35, London
June 2, 1668
Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and there dined with me, besides my own people, W. Batelier and Mercer, and we very merry. After dinner, they gone, only Mercer and I to sing a while, and then parted, and I out and took a coach, and called Mercer at their back-door, and she brought with her Mrs. Knightly, a little pretty sober girl, and I carried them to Old Ford, a town by Bow, where I never was before, and there walked in the fields very pleasant, and sang: and so back again, and stopped and drank at the Gun, at Mile End, and so to the Old Exchange door, and did buy them a pound of cherries, cost me 2s., and so set them down again; and I to my little mercer’s Finch, that lives now in the Minories, where I have left my cloak, and did here baiser su moher, a belle femme, and there took my cloak which I had left there, and so by water, it being now about nine o’clock, down to Deptford, where I have not been many a day, and there it being dark I did by agreement aller a la house de Bagwell, and there after a little playing and baisando we did go up in the dark a su camera … and to my boat again, and against the tide home. Got there by twelve o’clock, taking into my boat, for company, a man that desired a passage — a certain western bargeman, with whom I had good sport, talking of the old woman of Woolwich, and telling him the whole story.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)